Flying-machine.



W. M. PROTZMAN.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-31 1917- l Q6%33Uu Patented Apr. 30, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

W. M. PROTZMAN.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AuG.3I. I917.

Patented I 31 '30, 1918. I 2 SHEETSSHEET 2,

Jizzraz'zzar /4 //s M Pm fz/rm I7.

WELLS M. 'rnorzivran, or ossonu, onro.

FLYING-MACHINE.

raeaaeo.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WELLS M. Pnorz- MAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Osborn, in the county of -Green and State of Ohio,-haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Flying'Machines, ofwhich the following is a specifics, tion. v

This invention relates in general to flying-machines or aeroplanes, andmore parv ticularly to machines of that type which are adapted'for useas aerial torpedoes.

In the operation of any of the various types of aeroplanes, orheavier-than-air machines in general use, the provision of a suitablerun-way is necessary, the machine f a forward movement of more or lessspeed being propelled some distance on the runway before it ascends orsoars upward in an inclined direction. The speed or'forwardpropelling'force is an important fac tor for retaining the machine inthe air, and when ascending or navigating the air is necessary. Indescending the speed may be reduced and the machine allowed to soardownward in an inclined direction under buoyant control of the planes.

One of the objects of the present invention is the provision of anaeroplane embodying novel features of construction whereby it can becaused to ascend direct from its station in a substantially verticaldirection. when starting on its flight, and after attaining apredetermined height caused to traverse the air in any direction, and todrop vertically if so desired.

Another object of the invention is the provision of aconstruction-whereby the machine can be poised in the. air.

Withthe above mentioned and other apparent objects in view the inventionconsists in the construction,combination and arrangement of parts ashereinafter de scribedand pointed out" definitely in the,

View of the improved machine, more or less diagrammatic, and withcertain portions broken away.

I Fig. 2 is a side elevation with the wings on the near side and aportion of the easing removed.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patgfltgd App, $9 191 Application filedAugust 31, 1917.- Serial No. 189,202.

3ris a fragmentary sectional view, on

an enlargedscale, taken substantially on line 38 Fig. 2. m

Fig.4: is'a fragmentary cross-section on line 4 laof Fig. 1. t

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section nd Fig. 8 is asection online8'8 construction of the said power, control, or

steering elements is shown, described or claimed except broadly incombination with the mechanism set forth. f If a machine embodying theelements of which produces the result the present invention is employedas an aeroplane carrying an operator the motive power and otheroperating parts will be designed and arranged to be controlledby saidoperator, while if used asan aerial torpedo the operation would becontrolled by some suitable arrangement of timing mechanism such asclock-work or a wirelessysystem. The present lmprovement can be adaptedto operative connection with motive. I power, control, and steeringmechanism of numerous knowntypes at present inuse.

As lightness is an essential feature of all flying machines, a preferredconstruction embodying the improvements, consists of a frame work madeup of a series of aluminium body ring members 1 and l connected by aseries of ribs 2 and forming a cigarshaped structure provided withsuitable brace members and a casing 3. The operae.

tive mechanism ,lS confined within the said structure, and as beforestated is no particular part of the present invention except in a broadsense. a

.A series of hinged planes orwings 4: are connected to opposing ribs 2by trunnions 4? seated in brackets 2 which are firmly ati if tached tothesaidribs. The wings 4 are provided with inwardly extendin members a,said members on each side of the body beingconnected bylongitudinalrodsfi. A. i

V of the disks and thereby raise and lower cross bar 6 is arranged inthe body member 1 and is adapted to oscillate therem. Connected with thecross bar 6 and" extending forward below the wing connectingrods 5 arerods or levers 7, sa1d levers being tied together and spaced by aconnecting member 7 A shaft 8 is mounted in the structure" in suitablelongitudinal bearingsv 9, said shaft being driven by any suitable motivepower which may be elected to meetconditions. In the embodiment asillustratedan electric motor 10 is shown-as the driving power merely forexplanatory purposes; In

practice a combustion engine would probably be employed:

The shaft '8 carries-a worm 8 which is in mesh with a worm gear 11, saidgear being rigidly attached to a shaft mounted in suitable bearings 12arranged above and transversely to the shaft- 8. Rig-idly attached tothe worm gear shaft 'at opposite ends thereof are disks 13, 13,said-disks being-provided with cam grooves 18 (see Fig. 5) 1n theirouter faces. The levers 7 are-provided with members 7 adaptedto enterthe cam grooves 13 'and be operated upon by I sa1d grooves 1n therevolutions the free ends of the-levers 7 said levers being fulcrumed inthe oscillating menr Figs; t and 5. It will readily be seen that theupward a-nddownward movement of the levers '7 will cause the wings 4 tooscillate on theirtrunnions through the clip connec tions=0fthe r0ds 5and levers 7, and that the 'degr'ee of oscillation is governed by thedistance of the clips from the fulcrum' member 6. The greater-thedistance between the fulcrum 6 and the clips 14: the greater the degreeof oscillation, and vice versa;

The wingse areprovided with openings 4=and have closure members or flaps16 hingedthereto, *said flaps being adapted to cover saidopenings. Asthe wings oscillate up'ward -the flaps {open removing the" air pressure,and as the Wings oscillate down- 'ward the said flaps are closedend acon-- tinuous surface upon which the air=pres= sure is exerted,ispresentedp Rods 17 are flexibly connected with the flap's'16, as shownat16 These rods extend to the interior of the structure and pass throughuniversally adjustable holders or friction members 18. The function ofthese rods and friction, members'is tostabilize the flaps in theiropening. and closing operation's. In the embodiment as illustrated thedevices-18 consist of a two-partball 19 con-' fined "'1n--a socket inwhich it is adapted" to operate. The socket is constructed in two parts20 and 20 connected through flanges The member 20 is provided with afoot 20. for attachment to the frame of the machine, and the member .20is provided with a barrel 2O in which is a spring 21 that operates on amember 22 bearing on the ball 19. Thetension of the spring, and throughsaid tension the friction of the ball 19 on the rod 17 is regulated by ascrew 23.

The -propeller24: may be connected with the driving shaft 8 bysuitableclutch mechanism, not shown, so that it can be operated simultaneouslywith the wings or independent thereof. Suitable steering mechanism,timed controlling mechanism, and motive power connections may beinstalled and adapted tocoiiperate with the elements described;

When the =1nachine is used as an aerial torpedo, the high powerexplosives are stored in a forward compartment 3, and when used as apassenger carrying aeroplane, suitable n'ovision is made for theaccommodation of the operator, and the opcrative mechanism isconstructed to meet the differingconditionsor uses,- while theconstruction of the wings and their operative mechanism in all casesremains substantially as herein described and definitely set forth intheclaims which govern the scope of the invention.

hat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is.

1. In a flying machine the combination of a body; plane wingshingcd tosaid body on opposing sides thereof' and adapted to oscillate 011 theirhinges, said wings being provided with openings; closure members for theopenings in the wings hinged 'to said wings and adapted to openaud'close by air pressure in the oscillation of said wings;

connecting rods between the wings on each side of the machine; levers'fulcrumcd in the body; means for oscillating said levers; connectingmembers between said lovers and the wing connecting rods, whereby'theoscillating movement of thelevers imparts oscillation to the wings.

2. In a flying machine the combination of a body; a series of wingshinged to said body on'opposite sides thereof, said wings being providedwith openings; closure members for the openings in the wings, hingedto'said wings and adapted toopen and close by air pressure in theoscillation of said wings; connecting rods between the wings on eachside of the machine; levers fulcrumed in the body cams for oscillatingsaid levers; connecting means between said levers and the wings wherebythe oscillating movement. of the leversimparts oscillation to the wings;and means for operating said cams.

3, In a flying machine the combination of a body; a series of wingshinged to said body on opposite sides thereof, said wings being providedwith openings; closure memon each side of the machine; levers fulcrumedin the body cams for oscillating said levers; adjustable connectingmeans between said levers and the wings, whereby the oscillatingmovement of the levers imparts oscillation to the wings; and means foroperating said cams.

4. In a flylng machine the combination of a body; wings hinged to saidbody on opposite sides thereof, said wings being provided with openings;closure members for the openings in the wings, hinged to said wings andadapted to open and close by air pressure in the upward anddownwardoscillation, respectively, of said wings; connecting rodsbetween the wings on each side of the machine; levers fulcrumed in thebody; cams for oscillating said levers; adjustable connecting meansbetween said levers and the wings, whereby the oscillating movement ofthe levers oscillates the wings; gears arranged to operate the cams; andmeans for driving said gears.

5-. In a flying machine the combination of a body; wings hinged to saidbody on opposite sides thereof, said wings being provided with openings;closure members for the openings in the wings, hinged to said wings andadapted to open and close by air pressure in the upward and downwardoscillation, respectively, of said wings; con necting rods betweenthewings on each side of the machine; levers fulcrumed in the body; camsfor oscillating said levers; adjustable connecting means between saidlevers and the wings, whereby the oscillating movement of the leversoscillates the wings; a worm gear connected with the cams for drivingsaid cams; a worm member in mesh with the worm gear; a driving shaftconnected with said worm; and means for driving said shaft.

6. A flying machine having wings hinged to the body thereof and adaptedto oscillate on their hinges, said wings being provided with openings,flaps hinged to said wings for covering the openings therein, said flapsbeing adaptedto open automatically on the upward movement of the wingsand to close against the under side of the wings on the downwardmovements of said wings, stabilizing rods connected with the flapmembers, said rods extending to the body of the machine and slidable infriction members attached to said body, and means for oscillating thewings.

7. A flying machine having wings hinged to the body thereof and adaptedto oscillate on their hinges, said wings being provided with openings,flaps hil'lged to said wings for covering the openings therein, saidflaps being adapted to open automatically on the upward movement of thewings and to close against the under side of the wings on the downwardmovement of said wings, stabilizing rods connected with the flapmemhere, said rods extending to the body of the machine and slidable inuniversally adjustable friction members attached to said body, and meansfor oscillating the Wings.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

wELLs M. PROTZMAN.

Witnesses F. B. MoGoNNELL, C. J. LoesnoN.

fiulpier at this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

